I have been preoccupied of late with family history. One Saturday I got bored and started reading my Great Grandpa Callister's history (Jospeh Platte). I had heard certain names and places before but I never really put things together in my mind. Its easy to just put all of the names you hear into the same far distant place in your brain. Suddenly this time, the chain was clearer to me... And one particular idea really leaped out at me.
The connection was Eliza Maria Partridge Lyman. She was Joseph Platte's Grandma. Her daughter Carlie died shortly after giving birth to Joseph Platte. Joseph's father Thomas Callister, lived in another town, and though he was certainly concerned for Joseph, he had many other children (and wives) to attend to. Joseph P was raised by Lymans. He was a Lyman in every way but name. His Uncles and Aunts were a big part of his life. He was named after his Uncles Joseph (Jody) and Platte Lyman. This is where my research got really exciting to me. In 1879 (the year Joseph Platte was born) Platte Lyman was called to be a leader of the Hole-in-the-Rock expedition from among families in Southern Utah. The Lyman's were living in Leamington and Oak Creek (City) at this time.
To make a long story short, Joseph P's family were leaders in one of the boldest and most impressive efforts by pioneers ever. The Hole-in-the-Rock expedition was named for the narrow portion of Glen Canyon through which these pioneers passed to get over the Colorado River and over to San Juan COunty (MOnticello, Blanding, Bluff). I recently purchased a book documenting the trek. Platte Lyman is a central figure of this book. These pioneers took wagons down a stretch of canyon that most of us would be too nervous to walk down. They penetrated (with wagons) an area that remains to this day, some of the most remote country in the world (although much is covered by Lake Powell). This trail remained in use for one year. Platte Lyman returned to Oak Creek in 1880 to retreive his mother Eliza Maria, his sister Lucy and the baby Joseph Platte. They then traveled back through the Hole in the Rock. So Joseph Platte went throught the Hole in the Rock!! Joseph Platte spent the years 1881-1884 in San Juan County, and returned in his youth to help build canals for farming. His Uncles helped found towns like Bluff, Blanding and Monticello. Pretty cool if your familiar with these places at all.
This is just to wet the appetite of members of my family. I have more info if you are interested.
5 comments:
This was interesting to read. I wish I would catch the family history bug, but I haven't yet. :) I hiked up Hole in the Rock while at Lake Powell once and it was a really hard hike (granted I'm not much of a hiker but still...). I love hearing stories about it because I feel like I can get a very tiny glimpse into what people went through. :)
Angie
I've been through the Hole in the Rock too. Except when I hiked up it the temperature was well ove 100 degrees and it was all I could do to get back down into the lake and not evaporatie.
I really want to find the time to look more of this up. I love history in general, but when it touches the family it is particularly cool. Thanks for sharing!!
Isn't all the family history stuff the coolest?! I just found out that my Mom's father's family lived here--in Portland! We discovered the grocery store they ran, the house they lived in--all of which are still here (mind you-convereted to a bar and a rental, but still cool nonetheless)!
Jake. Thanks for the information. This was very interesting to me not only because that is my lineage, but also because I lived in Monticello and knew a a fair amount of Lymans there. Family History is so facination and our heritage is so rich. We have a lot to live up to to honor our ancestors don't we? You da man! Thanks for the info.
Stir-Fry
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